Methods and apparatus for supporting compartment inserts with interface arrangements in autonomous delivery vehicles

Abstract

According to one aspect, a compartment on a vehicle such as an autonomous or semi-autonomous delivery vehicle may be provided with an interface arrangement configured to facilitate the coupling and uncoupling of compartment inserts. The interface arrangement may include mechanical, electrical, and data transmission features. Mechanical features of an interface arrangement may be configured to physically secure or hold a compartment insert in a desired position and/or orientation within a compartment, while electrical features may be configured to enable power to be provided to the compartment insert. Data transmission features may be configured to enable monitoring and control of features of the compartment insert. Different types of compartment inserts may be configured to mate with an interface arrangement, e.g., a substantially universal interface arrangement which effectively provides for interoperability of different compartment inserts, in a compartment of a vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a compartment of a vehicle, the compartment including insert interface having at least one track and a compartment blind mate attachment component; and   a compartment insert having at least one alignment feature configured to slide into the at least one track and a compartment insert blind mate attachment component configured to mate with the compartment blind mate attachment component to removably secure the compartment insert in the compartment of the vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a frame structure that includes first and second track members spaced apart from each other onto which a floor panel of the compartment is mounted, 
 wherein the at least one alignment feature of the compartment insert includes first and second rail members spaced apart from each other and configured to slide into the first and second track members, respectively.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one alignment feature of the compartment insert includes a front foot member and a rear foot member on each of the first and second rail members spaced apart from each other along each of the first and second rail members. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein:
 each of the first and second track members comprises a front end and a rear end, a channel between the front end and rear end, and a slot being positioned in each of the first and second track members towards the front end, wherein the channel comprises first and second length portions, the second length portion positioned toward the rear end and being deeper than the first length portion for each of the first and second track members; and   wherein when the compartment insert is installed in the compartment the rear foot member of each of the first and second rail members is configured to rest on a bottom surface of the channel in the second length portion and the front foot member is configured drop into the slot.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the channel of each of the first and second track members has a sloping section that extends downward to the second length portion to facilitate insertion of the compartment insert into the compartment. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the compartment blind mate attachment component and the compartment insert blind mate attachment component each comprises a latch clamp that are mounted so as to releasably engage with other. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein:
 as the front foot member drops into the slot, the latch clamps of the compartment and the component insert, respectively, are configured to make contact with each other.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein each of the first and second rail members comprises a front mount that is configured to be secured to a front mount of the first and second track members, respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the rear foot member is sized such that a front mount of the first and second rail members is suspended above complementary mating surfaces of the front mount of the first and second track members, respectively, and configured to permit a screw to be torqued down through a hole in front mount of the first and second rail members into the first and second track members, which in turn applies a preload to mating surfaces of the latch clamps of the compartment and the compartment insert, respectively, and the rear foot member acts as a fulcrum such that when the front foot member drops through the slot, the latch clamp of the compartment insert pivots about the rear foot member and engages the latch clamp of the compartment with minimal friction. 
     
     
         10 . A compartment insert comprising:
 a body sized and shaped to removably install within a compartment of a vehicle;   at least one alignment feature configured to slide into at least one track of the compartment of the vehicle; and   a blind mate attachment component configured to mate with a blind mate attachment component of the compartment to removably secure the compartment insert in the compartment of the vehicle.   
     
     
         11 . The compartment insert of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one alignment feature includes first and second rails spaced apart from each other and configured to slide into first and second tracks, respectively, of the compartment. 
     
     
         12 . The compartment insert of  claim 11 , further comprising a front foot and a rear foot positioned on each of the first and second rails spaced apart from each other. 
     
     
         13 . The compartment insert of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second tracks each comprises a channel having first and second length portions, the second length portion positioned toward a rear end of the first and second tracks and being deeper than the first length portion, and the channel having a sloping section that extends downward to the second length portion. 
     
     
         14 . The compartment insert of  claim 13 , further comprising latch clamps at a rear end of the first and second rails, and configured to mate with latch clamps at the rear end of the first and second tracks, respectively, and wherein when the compartment insert is installed in the compartment, the rear foot of each of the first and second rails is configured to rest on a bottom surface of a channel in the first and second tracks and the front foot is configured drop into a slot of the channel in the first and second tracks, and as the front foot drops into the slot, the latch clamps of the first and second rails are configured to make contact with the latch clamps of the first and second tracks, respectively. 
     
     
         15 . The compartment insert of  claim 14 , each of the first and second rails comprises a front mount that is configured to be secured to a front mount of the first and second tracks, respectively. 
     
     
         16 . The compartment insert of  claim 15 , wherein the rear foot is sized such that the front mount of the first and second rails is suspended above complementary mating surfaces of the front mount of the first and second tracks, respectively, and configured to permit a screw to be torqued down through a hole in front mount of the first and second rails into the first and second tracks, which in turn applies a preload to mating surfaces of the latch clamps of the first and second rails and first and second tracks, respectively, and the rear foot acts as a fulcrum such that when the front foot drops through the slot, the latch clamp of the first and second rails pivots about the rear foot and engages the latch clamp of the compartment with minimal friction. 
     
     
         17 . The compartment insert of  claim 10 , further comprising an electrical connector component configured to connect to an electrical connector component of the compartment. 
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 guiding a compartment insert into one or more track members of an insert interface of a compartment of a vehicle; and   mechanically coupling the compartment insert to the insert interface of the compartment using one or more blind mate attachment members.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein guiding comprise aligning one or more rail members of the compartment insert to slide into the one or more track members of the compartment. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein mechanically coupling comprises engaging a blind mate attachment component of the compartment insert on the one or more rail members with a blind mate attachment component on the one or more track members of the insert interface of the compartment. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein guiding comprises inserting at least one foot on the one or more rail members into the one or more track members. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein guiding comprises directing the at least one foot along a channel of the one or more track members that slopes downwardly for at least one length section towards a rear end of the one or more track members. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 electrically coupling the compartment insert to the insert interface of the compartment using one or more electrical connectors.